Pick Me Up
by Shapeshifter99
Summary: After the devastating loss of Amy and Rory, River decides to take the Doctor on numerous visits to far-off planets to cheer him up. Series of one-shots, two-shots and maybe three-shots. Doctor/River and River conspiring with the TARDIS :D! More details inside. Rating may change in later chapters.
1. Prologue

**So, this will be a series of short stories and two-shots (and mebe three-shots, haven't decided yet), on how River, with the help of the TARDIS, give themselves the challenge to bring the Doctor back to his former glory and try to cheer him up after the loss of Amy and Rory. Post-Angels of Manhattan. No set times for when I'll update XD. Basically, just when I get the time and inspiration, I guess.**

**Enjoy!**

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River's never seen him so upset. Not that she can blame him, of course. The same agony is in her chest, constricting her two hearts until she finds it difficult to breathe.

She'll see Amy and Rory again, she knows that. But for now, the pain is fresh, ebbing and flowing as she watches the Doctor struggle with his loss.

She hated to refuse travelling with him, because she knows it was what they both want it, that they truly need each other. Especially now.

But he needs to be able to manage without her, to heal enough so he can stand on his own, at least for a little while. Until he gets a new companion.

Despite herself, River's lips twist into a grimace of jealousy. Not just for her own sake, though that's a large part of it. No, she's jealous because the Doctor getting a new companion would also mean replacing her mother and father.

She sighs to herself quietly. Now she's contradicting her own advice. Great. After all, she's just told the Doctor that he shouldn't travel alone.

_Soon._ She tells herself firmly. _Once he's back on his feet, you'll accept his invitation. _

She sends the Doctor another glance. He's still sitting, staring despondently at one of the TARDIS' many walls.

"Sweetie?" She says gently.

He stirs, provoked from his stupor.

"Yes, River?" He says distractedly, the undercurrent of pain still thick.

"Do you want to go anywhere specific now?" She asks, referring to their recent visit to a young Amelia Pond.

The Doctor, excited by an afterword from Amy in the future, had demanded that River take him to see her younger self, to assure Amelia that she just had to wait for him. But, in the end, he had simply stood in the doorway of the TARDIS, staring wistfully at the little girl who had fallen asleep on her suitcase as she waited for her Raggedy Doctor to take her away. River had eventually drawn him away from the door and closed it. He had then sunk back into his depression.

"Uh, no, you can pick." The Doctor mumbles.

River gazes at him sadly, her heart twisting in pain for her husband.

"How about Barcelona? The planet, I mean." She says, thinking that it would be best to stay away from Earth for a while.

The Doctor's only response is a dull nod of assent.

River purses her lips as she sets the coordinates for Barcelona, the planet.

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**Since this is the prologue, I decided to put it in the present, but all the stories following it will be in the past tense. So, please review and tell me what you guys thought. I like constructive criticism, just as long as it's not completely down-bringing… Hope you guys enjoyed :D**


	2. Chapter 1 - Barcelona Stars

**First of all, I'd just like to point out that a very, very vast majority of the description of Barcelona is made up by me, except the fact that the dogs have no noses there. I searched for any other information, but didn't find any, so if anything here is inaccurate, please inform me.**

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River continued her way around the TARDIS' consol, flipping switches and pressing buttons as she continued to cast anxious glances at the Doctor. He still hadn't moved.

With a final pull to a lever, the TARDIS groaned, and started to shake around in the way that used to set the Doctor off, making him jump around in excitement, but he barely reacted. River had even left the brakes on, allowing the TARDIS to make her usual 'vworp' sound, to no avail.

The shuddering finally stopped, and River announced brightly, "We're here!"

"Hm." Was the Doctor's only response.

The TARDIS let out a sad hum of protest, and River murmured back to the ship, "I know, I know. I'm trying."

"Come on, then," She said, louder this time, as she walked over to the Doctor. "Time to explore!"

The Doctor glanced at her outstretched hand, before finally taking it. River felt a small sense of relief as she pulled him up, and didn't let go of his hand as she led him to the door.

The TARDIS' door opened as they neared it, and River breathed in the fresh smell of the sea. The two suns of Barcelona hung over the ocean, turning the sky a light purple as they seemed to dip into the water.

The beach they had landed on wasn't very crowded, randomly dotted with the strange inhabitants that lived on Barcelona. They were like a strange hybrid of antelope, human and reptile. They had the faces of humans, but spiraling horns emerged from their foreheads and their eyes were large and dark, giving them a sense of innocence. Their legs transformed into the haunches of antelopes, but they were covered in sleek scales instead of fur, while their furry hands had claws on the end of their fingertips. And of course, they all had nose-less dogs on leashes.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" River remarked to the Doctor quietly.

"Yes." He said quietly, the first word he had said to her in hours.

Barcelona was well-known for being an amazing place, but it was extremely difficult to arrive on the planet because of the constantly moving, small stars that orbited around it, thus causing it to have very few visitors. Which was, of course, one of the reasons why River had brought the Doctor here.

The Doctor stared out at the ocean, his eyes devoid of any emotion besides wistfulness. After a few moments, River tugged him along gently, taking a few steps in the sand. He followed willingly, grasping her hand more firmly.

River smiled gently at him, and was about to say something just as a dog started barking, loudly. They both started, watching in confusion as a black, furry… Thing, blurred as it raced towards them. It skidded to a halt, spraying sand all over them.

After it let out a friendly bark, River cracked her eyes open to see one of the famous dogs of Barcelona that, indeed, didn't have any noses. If it had been from Earth, River guessed it would be a flat-coated retriever, looking at it warily as it thumped its tail repeatedly against the sand.

It let out another bark.

Surprisingly, the Doctor crouched down and stretched out the hand that wasn't holding onto River. The dog sniffed it for a second (River wasn't quite sure how it accomplished this, seeing as it didn't have a nose), then licked his fingers enthusiastically.

"Well, hello." The Doctor murmured, his hand reaching to scratch the dog behind one of its ears. "What are you doing loose?"

The dog let out a mixture of barks, yelps and whines. The Doctor nodded in understanding.

"Ah. Got excited by the water. So, it's been a while since you've visited the sea, then?"

River watched in amazement as the dog responded, barking out a few more times while wagging its tail.

"Hmm. Well, enjoy your stay." The Doctor said softly, petting the dog a few more times before carefully standing up. "But you'd better go find your owner."

The dog nodded its head, before standing up itself and nuzzling the Doctor's leg once before running off.

The Doctor watched it leave with an indescribably sad expression on his face.

"I didn't know you could speak dog." River said, teasing, but gentle.

"I told you, I can speak everything." He murmured, his mouth twitching slightly into the faintest of smiles.

River wove her fingers with his, and he responded by squeezing gently.

"How about a walk by the beach?" She suggested.

The Doctor nodded, once again lapsing into silence, but River was relieved by the small progress they had already made.

They both took their shoes and socks off, and walked, hand in hand as Barcelona's suns finally set, revealing the moon and many large and bright stars scattered across the dark indigo sky. The stars were close enough to Barcelona that they emanated some warmth, even during the night, so River and the Doctor were perfectly comfortable as they strolled through the sand, the lukewarm ocean water soaking their feet. By now, the rest of the Barcelonans had retired, leaving the couple between the sea and the stars.

They eventually stopped walking, sitting down on the sand just close enough to the water that waves lapped at their feet. Neither had spoken since they had seen the dog, but the Doctor's hand was still clasped River's, and neither of them had let go during their long walk.

They didn't speak now, either, but the silence was more comfortable now, albeit still tinged with both of their sense of loss. They simply sat there, staring at the sparkling ocean as it reflected the billions of stars above them. Of course, both River and the Doctor knew what it was really like to hang suspended between the stars, but this was pretty close.

River didn't know how long they sat there. Minutes, hours? She didn't mind, but she knew that they would eventually have to return to the TARDIS.

"We should go." She murmured to the Doctor quietly.

"Yes, yes." He replied, slightly dazed. "The TARDIS should be waiting."

He stood up, hand still holding onto River's, and waited as she got up as well. They made their way back to the TARDIS, the stars still glimmering above them. They eventually found the blue police box, and stepped in as the TARDIS greeted them with a happy hum.

River gave the TARDIS a pat, releasing the Doctor's hand as she did so.

"Yes, it seems to have helped somewhat." She murmured to the ship. "Thank you."

The TARDIS let out another rumble.

River glanced at the Doctor, and noticed how tired he looked. Time Lords didn't sleep as much as other life forms, but it was obvious that the traumatic events that had occurred and their long night out on the beach had drained him.

"You should get some sleep, sweetie." She told him.

"Hmmm." The Doctor said, his voice exhausted.

River accompanied him to his room, and left him, making her way back to the TARDIS' control room, determined to leave him in peace for a few hours.

"He needs time to mourn, now." She said to the TARDIS sadly, her heart aching for her Doctor.

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**Well, that's the end of chapter 1! I might bring them back to Barcelona later, but for now, they need some well-earned peace, eh? So, review and tell me what you guys thought!**


	3. Chapter 2 - Nightmares in the Dark

**So, this chapter takes place on the TARDIS, and pretty much picks up where the last chapter left off, but you can consider it a separate piece if you guys want. **

**Enjoy!**

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It wasn't often that the Doctor slept, and when he did, it was often light dozing, rather than the deep sleep that humans often had.

It still happened though. But there was a reason that the Doctor tried to avoid these as much as possible.

His brain, already hyper when he was awake, often kicked into overdrive when he slept, taking advantage of his unconsciousness to tease him with memories that he would rather forget. The last time he had had a 'good night's sleep', the TARDIS had been forced to wake him up with the cloister bell, his nightmares had been so terrible.

So, even though River had insisted on rest, the Doctor had refused to let his eyes shut, fearing the horrible memories that would grip his mind.

He was on his back, staring up at the roof of his bedroom as he struggled to stay awake. Exhaustion pressed on his mind, sometimes even turning the edges of his vision dark as he continued to resist.

The TARDIS, worried for her beautiful thief, let out a low, reassuring rumble in an effort to urge him to rest.

"No, no." He mumbled, his words slurring. "I don't want to sleep, old girl. You _know_ I don't want to."

The TARDIS hummed, the sound almost exasperated. Just as the Doctor opened his mouth to reply, his faithful ship turned on the projectors she had in every room.

These projectors had multiple uses, but this time, the TARDIS had used this one simply to comfort her poor, lonely Doctor. The dark roof was suddenly illuminated with stars, galaxies swirling above him.

"That's not fair!" The Doctor protested weakly, his voice once again slipping at the end of his sentence.

He continued to keep his eyes wide open, and was about to debate whether or not he should go get some coffee, or something else to keep him awake when… He promptly fell asleep.

The TARDIS let out a relieved hum. Seemed as if his brain just couldn't cope with the exhaustion anymore.

She focused her attention on her control-room, where River was still sitting. She was on the floor, her little blue book in hand as she wrote about what had happened.

The TARDIS let out a low rumble to alert River.

She glanced up, a relieved smile spreading across her face. "Good, you managed to make him sleep. Thanks, dear."

The ship let out a rumble of pride, but added a hum of anxiety.

River's smile slipped off her face. "Can you tell me if anything happens?"

The TARDIS let out another hum.

"Thank you." River said, relieved.

The thought of the Doctor hurting more than he already was caused both friend and wife to feel as if splinters were being driven into their souls.

But an hour passed. Then another. And still the Doctor slept soundly.

River made small talk with the TARDIS, but underneath her light-heartedness, anxiety lingered in her mind.

Her sense of unease grew as the time passed, and she could tell the TARDIS felt it too. Every once in a while, it was almost as if the ship's consciousness slipped from the control-room to check on the Doctor, and it was becoming more frequent.

"Is he alright?" River asked every time TARDIS returned to her.

And until then, it had always been some version _He's alright._ But this time, it was something that made River's body go cold.

_I'm not sure._

"What do you mean, you're not sure?" River snapped, fear coursing through her veins like ice.

The TARDIS hummed in panic as she tried to explain.

River, being 'A child of the TARDIS', had an almost telepathic communication with the ship, but going into details took more time to understand.

"He's… Twitching." River said slowly, encouraged by a rumble. "Not… Saying anything in particular…"

River stopped, flapping her hand around in exasperation. "This is taking too much time! If something's wrong with him, then I'll go see him!"

She stood up and practically ran to where she knew the Doctor's room was. As she strode through the halls, the TARDIS' hum of panic became louder, and a jumble of words came into her head as the ship tried to tell her what was happening.

A howl of grief alerted River to what she was trying to say. She paled and broke into a sprint.

She practically ripped the door open as the sound of a strangled sob reached her ears. She rushed over to the bed, where the Doctor writhed on the sheets, his hands fisted into the fabric. His eyes were closed, but tears made tracks down his agonized face.

"Doctor!" River said urgently, shaking his shoulder.

He let out a choked moan and twisted away from her.

"Doctor!?" She repeated frantically, shaking him harder to no avail. "What's wrong with him!" She yelled at the TARDIS.

The TARDIS let out a high whining sound of pain, and River was faced with an onslaught of memories.

_The Doctor, screaming and yelling almost as he was now, twisting as he desperately tries to escape the clutches of his nightmares._

"_It was so real." He whispers to her, his voice thick with agony. "I just lost them… Again and again…"_

_He was raging around the room, knocking things off tables and yelling at nobody. Then, as if he was a puppet with its strings cut, he fell to the floor, his hands cradling his head as he wept._

"Stop it!" River hissed, pulling herself back to the present. "He needs us now! What normally works to wake him up?!"

The TARDIS let out a frantic hum.

"The cloister bell?" River said, momentarily confused, but quickly regained her composure. "Well, go on, then!"

She wrestled with the still sleeping Doctor, pushing him back onto the mattress to keep him from hurting himself; or her, for that matter.

"Somehow, I thought that both us being on the same bed would happen in a different situation." She mumbled under her breath, despite the gravity of the moment.

At the same time she finished her sentence, the TARDIS' cloister bell started ringing very, _very_ loudly.

River winced, but her ears quickly got used to it as she struggled to still the Doctor's movements. Unfortunately, it seemed as if the sound did nothing to awake the Doctor, although could tell that his subconscious could hear the noise.

She sighed, muttering to her husband, "I'm sorry for this, sweetie, I truly am."

Then she slapped him.

The Doctor's eyes flew open with a gasp before he lurched into a sitting position. River grasped his shoulders, feeling the tense muscles beneath his skin trembling, as he finally seemed to realize where he was.

He stared at River for a moment, his green eyes wide and dark with confusion.

"Doctor?" River said urgently, anxiety churning in the pit of her stomach.

The fog in his eyes cleared, and he let out a strangled sob. River pulled him into her arms, stroking his hair.

"Hush, Doctor." She murmured. "It's alright. I'm here."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in the crook of her neck as his body shook.

River continued to murmur endearments to him as he cried, as the TARDIS hummed sadly for her thief and her daughter.

River didn't ask what had happened in the nightmare; she knew that it would only bring him more pain.

They stayed that way for a while, River holding his trembling body as he let his emotions out in a torrent that threatened to overwhelm him.

River wasn't sure how long how it took, but he eventually calmed down, his breaths a little less shuddery as his heartbeats slowed. He pulled back slightly, clearing his throat as he tried to speak.

"Thank you." He finally managed to whisper hoarsely.

River smiled at him sadly, her hand reaching up to caress his face gently. "I'm always here for you, my love."

His eyes fluttered shut as her fingers brushed against his cheek, and he let out a sigh as if something had been released deep within him.

River moved so that she could get up and leave, but the Doctor grabbed her hand.

"Don't go, please." He whispered, his eyes panicked.

River felt her heart tug. It wasn't often that, instead of seeing the lonely old man within him, the small, scared child revealed itself, and honestly, it terrified River to see him like this.

"Alright," She said soothingly. "Just for a while."

The Doctor looked relieved, and twined his fingers with hers. He lay down on the mattress, and River did the same, wriggling around so she could wrap her arms around his waist. The Doctor rested his chin on the top of her head, and let his eyes slide half-shut.

The TARDIS hummed in relief. She didn't think anyone could have picked a better soul-mate for the Doctor, let alone herself, but she was happy that he had found someone that matched him perfectly, yet was his complete opposite at the same time.

And she watched over the pair, thinking this as the both of them slid into sleep. River was the first to go, her eyes drooping until they closed entirely, her arms still holding the Doctor close to her as his hearts beat rhythmically against her ear. The Doctor took a little longer, once again fearful of what the night would bring, but couldn't help but give in to his exhaustion.

The TARDIS watched over them through the night, but she noted, quite happily, that no nightmares claimed the Doctor's mind while River was there.

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**Phew! That was one hell of a chapter, if I do say so myself! So, please review, and I hope you enjoyed! **


	4. Chapter 3 - Azure Waters

**Hello, I'm BACK! Sorry about not updating since last week, I was on holiday and I didn't have access to a computer. So, to make it up to you guys, I wrote a rather long chapter (for me anyways). This time, River and the Doctor head to Azure, which was only mentioned once in the old series of Doctor Who. It was simply introduced as a blue planet that the Doctor can see from the TARDIS, and he tells his companions that it's called 'Azure'. So, I decided to introduce it as a planet where the dominating color is blue :3 Even though this chapter is long, I don't think I wrote it that well, so just ignore the lack of flow in the writing XD. Enjoy!**

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"How about Azure?" River asked the TARDIS questioningly. "I've never been there before, and, according to the Doctor, it's been about 500 years since he's seen it too."

The TARDIS hummed her approval.

"Azure it is, then!" River set the coordinates, and the TARDIS shook violently as they began to make their way there.

The movement subsided soon after, the TARDIS' familiar 'vworp, vworp' sound echoing throughout the halls as she landed.

"Sweetie!" River shouted. "We're here!"

"I'm coming!" He hollered back from somewhere within the TARDIS.

Over the past few days, he had started to open up a bit more, but grief still clung to him like a cloak, and it didn't take much for him to lapse back into depressed silence. River had been careful, trying to steer away from any emotion-provoking topics, but she didn't always manage to succeed. So, she had finally found another planet for the two of them to visit.

Finally, the Doctor hopped into the control-room, trying to pull on his right shoe as he made his way over to River. He finally got it on with a relieved sigh, then turned his attention to his wife.

"So. Where are we going?" He said curiously.

"Spoilers." She said with a grin. Seeing his disappointed expression, she laughed. "Kidding, sweetie. You'll see."

She walked over to the TARDIS' doors, and waited for the Doctor to follow her before opening the door.

The Doctor's eyebrows shot upwards as he took in the view before him. "Well, well. It's been a long time since I've visited Azure! I didn't even have companions at the time…"

His voice trailed off, and River felt a spike of panic.

Did she always have to find ways to upset him? She told herself morosely.

"…But." He said thoughtfully, mustering a smile. "I'd forgotten that it was quite this… Blue."

And blue it was. The dominating colors were varying shades of dark blue, light blue, aqua, air force blue, baby blue, ball blue, beau blue, bleu de France, blizzard blue, blue grey, blue sapphire, blue green, blueberry blue, bluebonnet blue, bondi blue, cerulean, Brandeis blue, turquoise, cadet blue, Cambridge blue, Capri, Carolina blue, ceil, celadon blue, Celeste, celestial blue, cerulean frost, cobalt, Columbian blue, cornflower blue, cyan, electric blue, imperial blue, pastel blue, sky blue, slate blue, denim, dodger blue, diamond blue, duke blue, Egyptian blue, ultramarine, French blue, fresh air blue, glaucous blue, han blue, Honolulu blue, iceberg blue, international Klein blue, Italian sky blue, lapis lazuli, little boy blue, majorelle blue, Maya blue, Persian blue, midnight blue, moonstone blue, and, of course, azure, the color which the planet shared the same name with.

"Yes, sweetie, but it is called the _blue_ planet for a reason." River said, rolling her eyes.

The Doctor let out a thoughtful 'hmmphr', and walked out of the TARDIS, closely followed by River. The blue grass he stepped on was covered in dew, making his shoes wet as he strolled forward.

This particular part of Azure was still wild, untouched by the Azurians except for a few cottages on the rolling hills and forests that lay before them, low-lying dark blue mountains far away in the distance. The lightest of blue glows came from behind the mountains, but the dark sky above them was still littered with stars and not-so-far-away planets.

Strange noises filled the air, but the Doctor knew that it was simply the local animals that lived in these parts, which were completely harmless.

"You know, there's a good spot down there, in the forest, with a pond. It's the only place on this entire planet that it isn't blue, instead reflecting the colors of the rainbow. The locals are always telling me to go, so… Shall we?" He told River, offering her his arm.

River grinned, and took it. "Of course, sweetie."

They made their way down the tree-dotted hill the TARDIS had landed on, the soft grass springing back into shape once they took another step. Soon, they were at the foot of it, the blue-leafed trees casting shadows only a shade darker than the lightening sky as they walked into the sparse forest.

River glanced at the Doctor, her arm still in his. "So, I've never actually been to Azure before. What are the natives like?"

"Oh, they're like four-legged swans with bat wings." He said, grinning. "And they have a fetish for gemstones."

River raised an eyebrow. "Well, good thing I didn't bring any jewelry. It's impractical if you're trying to get out of a death situation alive."

"True, true." The Doctor remarked. "But I thought this was a sort of vacation."

River smirked. "Now, now, what's a good vacation without any running away from crazy aliens trying to kill us?"

The Doctor cocked his head and pursed his lips. "Um, a good one?"

River laughed. "Oh, Doctor, since when have your attempts at vacations been good, then? Admit it, you love the running away part."

"Well, sort of." He admitted, his smile just a little bit wider than before.

River grinned back at him, her heart just a little bit lighter. He seemed better than he had been in days, a healthy flush in his cheeks and she could just see the beginnings of a sparkle in his eyes.

"What is it?" The Doctor said, stirring River from her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing." She said airily.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, leaving the two of them to walk in silence. After a few more minutes, River remarked, "Well, we haven't been attacked by any dangerous aliens yet. I'd say that's progress."

The Doctor let out a snort of laughter. Just as he was about to reply with a quip of his own, a chattering sound reached their ears.

They both stopped at the same time, glancing at each other.

"What was that?" River asked curiously.

"Eh, probably just some local animals." The Doctor shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, we-" River started to reply, but the same chattering noise started again, eventually turning into a high-pitched squeal of rage.

The Doctor let out a sudden yelp as something small, furry, and obviously blue, hurtled towards him from a tree.

"Get it off, get it off!" He howled, pawing at his clothes as the blue ball of fur clambered all over him.

"Hold still, then!" River snapped, slightly shocked as she tried to grab the… Thing.

It let out a stream of chatter, still evading the Doctor and River's hands before leaping off the Doctor and landing on the blue earth they were standing on.

It stood still on four legs, finally letting the pair to get a good look at it. It sort of resembled a ferret, except it was the color of forget-me-nots and had a pair of bird wings sprouting out of its back, not to mention the stubby horns growing out of its forehead.

"Doctor, what in the universe _is_ it?" River said, glancing at her husband.

"Err, I don't know. One of the local animals I was talking to you about, I guess." The Doctor said, glaring at the ferret hybrid.

It chattered at them, ending with a condensing sniff.

"I did _not_!" The Doctor said, his voice reproaching.

The ferret thing let out a squeak.

"Well, it's not _my_ fault you decided to put your favorite twig on what was clearly a path!" The Doctor retorted.

The animal let out a low hiss of annoyance.

"Are you really going to spend the rest of the day arguing with a _ferret_?" River said, rolling her eyes, getting over her surprise.

She dropped down on one knee and held her hand out to the ferret. "Now, I'm sure we can all get along."

The ferret/bird looked at her warily, before creeping forwards slowly, wings and tail twitching in agitation. It eventually got close enough to sniff her hand, its breath warming her fingers.

It cocked its head, dark blue black eyes curious, before letting out a small clucking sound.

"It _likes_ you." The Doctor said, partially annoyed, partially impressed.

"Well, obviously. I'm obviously the more trustworthy one. And I didn't step on its twig." River said, trying to keep a straight face during the last remark.

"Trustworthy? You?" The Doctor's eyebrow lifted.

River let out a laugh, startling the strange creature. It leaped back, its fur and feathers bristling.

River stood up, casting a meaningful look at the ferret. "Fine, if that's the way you want to play it. Come along, Sweetie."

She grabbed the Doctor's arm and pulled him after her. "So, where's that pond you were talking about?"

* * *

Finally, after much contemplating and changing directions, they finally made it to the small pool of water.

Kneeling down, River peered into the water, her own face reflected back at her in its stillness. The Doctor's image appeared behind her.

"You were right." She remarked. "It is beautiful."

And it was. Unlike the rest of the planet, the water was like oil, shimmering with every other color. Red, purple, green, yellow. It gave her an almost ethereal feeling as she stared into its depths.

"Well, I'm always right, aren't I?" The Doctor said quietly, a wan smile tugging at his lips.

River's gaze turned to him, as she reached for his hand. He was sad again. She felt it, like an ache in her own heart.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked gently.

"Oh, just things." The Doctor said in an attempt at nonchalance.

He was thinking about Amy and Rory. Her parents. Too late, she realized something she should have noticed earlier. Pond. Amy and Rory _Pond_. It was just a word, but its relevance to their names must have been enough to bring back his pain.

River lifted her free hand to his face, resting it on his cheek gently. "I'm sorry, love."

The Doctor smiled at her bravely. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not." River said.

The Doctor sighed. It was heavy, and pained, and so, so sad.

"It'll take time, you know that. But I'll be better."

"You'd better be." River retorted, a flirtatious lilt in her voice as she coaxed him back into the present. "I don't want a moping husband."

The Doctor simply smiled at her words.

"You know," River said thoughtfully.

"What?" The Doctor asked, his hazel eyes searching hers.

She smiled again, this time with just pure kindness instead of the usual teasing. "I've just noticed that it's been quite a while since I've done this."

"Done wh-" The Doctor started to reply, only to be cut off by her lips against his.

Caught off guard, his arms flailed around a bit in their usual habit, but he managed to regain enough control to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he responded to her kiss. It was sweet, but drawn out, the both of them losing themselves in each other's presence, calm and love sweeping over them like a tidal wave to wash their worries away.

When River finally pulled away to get some air, the both of them were flushed and breathing hard.

"W-well," The Doctor stammered, suddenly feeling awkward and embarrassed. "I-I think w-we should get back to the TARDIS…"

River laughed. "Oh, how I enjoy making you squirm."

The Doctor managed a pout. "You know I can't think straight when you kiss me!"

"I wonder why." River said mockingly, a teasing smile sliding across her face. "I mean, it's not as if you enjoyed it or anything.

The Doctor sputtered, blushing again.

River stood and offered him her hand. "Come on then, sweetie."

The Doctor took it, a rueful smile on his face as he stood as well.

"Thank you." He told her quietly as they started to head back towards the TARDIS.

She gave his hand, which she was still holding, a quick squeeze and smiled gently at him. "I'm always here for you."

_But not for much longer._ He thought, not sure whether he was talking about her inevitable death at the Library, or her leaving him so he could find a new companion. Both thoughts made his hearts constrict in his chest, but he pushed them away.

What mattered was that he was here, now, with River.

That _she_ was here.

The thought steadied him, and made the ache in his chest go away for the moment.

Yes. She was all that mattered.

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**I don't know how long it will take until I finish the next chapter, but be assured it will be up in three days max. **

**~Shift**

**P.S. Please, please, pretty please leave a review? They make me so happy, and they inspire me to write :D**


	5. Chapter 4 - Something Normal

**Phew! Another chapter done! Enjoy, and happy late New Year!**

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"How about we go somewhere more normal this time?" River suggested, watching as her husband danced around the TARDIS' consol, pressing buttons and pulling levers.

He had improved over the last few days, and it had been a while since River had seen him the least bit pensive or depressed, but she had a feeling that he was keeping his emotions under wraps, putting on a bright façade as to not upset her or the TARDIS. Now, though he was genuinely happy.

"_Normal_?" The Doctor scoffed. "Why in the universe would we want _normal_?"

"Because, sweetie, I'd like to avoid doing something that'll anger the locals of yet another strange planet." River laughed, earning her a reproachful look from the Doctor.

"Fine, fine." He sighed. "What about Earth?"

River glanced at him. She expected him to look sad, morose as he thought about the planet that had caused him so much pain, yet he was so enamored with. But contrary to what she thought his reaction would have been, his face was open, and there was a deep longing in his eyes.

River realized that he wanted to go to Earth because it was the planet where her parents were from. She had never quite understood why the Doctor always went back to Earth, why it was his favorite planet, but it suddenly dawned on her. In the end, it always ended up being the link to people he had lost. That he had cared for.

"Of course." She said, smiling at him.

The Doctor grinned back at her and set the coordinates.

Barely having time to grab onto the railing, the two of them held firm as the TARDIS shook, her familiar 'vworp vworp' sound echoing through the halls.

When she finally stilled, River immediately made her way over to the door. The Doctor lingered near the console, looking both nervous and apprehensive.

"Well? Come on!" River said, beckoning.

"It's just, it's been so long…" He mumbled.

"Don't worry," River said, rolling her eyes. "I doubt the TARDIS will have plopped us in the middle of a city. She probably chose somewhere quiet to land."

The Doctor looked relieved at the prospect of not having to face any humans, and followed her as she opened the door and stepped outside.

The sound of birdsong greeted them, as well as a pleasant smell that the both of them identified immediately as damp earth. They had landed in a small expanse of grass, surrounded on all sides by a forest. The sun shone brightly, partially blinding the both of them, as they were accustomed to the dimness of the TARDIS, proving that it was around late morning. At first glance, there was no sign of civilization in sight, but the Doctor could make out a wisp of smoke behind the trees.

River made a noise of approval. "Well, the old girl still picks the perfect places, doesn't she?"

"Indeed." The Doctor said, drawing out the last syllable as he admired their surroundings. "So, what do you want to do?"

"Well, sweetie," River purred. "I can think of plenty of things we could do, since we happen to be all alone…" Her voice trailed off suggestively and the Doctor blushed furiously.

"I didn't mean-"

"I'm kidding, my love." River chuckled. "But I _am_ starving. How about a picnic?"

"I'll go rustle something up." The Doctor said, pleased.

He retreated into the TARDIS as River sat down, a gentle breeze tickling her face. She closed her eyes, basking in the sunlight as she waited for the Doctor. It took him a while, and judging by the curses and mutterings that reached her, it was because he was having trouble finding what he needed. Her mouth twitched upwards in a smile as a crashing sound emerged from the TARDIS' doorway.

Eventually though, the noises stopped, and River, although curious, didn't open her eyes. Another few minutes passed in silence, and a feeling of unease settled over her.

"Doctor?" She said aloud, her eyes still closed.

"Yes, yes, sorry." His voice came from behind her, stumbling over his words slightly. River smiled again, and wasn't all that surprised when she heard rustling sounds as the Doctor walked forward and sat next to her, followed by his arm pressing against hers.

River felt comforted by the contact, and opened her eyes long enough to take the Doctor's hand, his skin warm against hers.

"What are you thinking about?" The Doctor asked softly.

"Oh, just… Things." River answered vaguely. "You?"

The Doctor was silent for a moment, as if debating with himself. "Well, to be honest… How beautiful you look in the sunlight."

River felt her grin widen, and squeezed the Doctor's hand. She had no doubt that if she were to open her eyes right now, he would be blushing like an idiot.

She did, and proved her theory correct. His face was red with embarrassment. Next to him, a large picnic basket was cushioned by a folded up blanket and a couple of pillows.

"I wasn't aware that other people were joining us." River said teasingly as she eyed the huge basket.

The Doctor shrugged. "Never hurts to have too much."

"True that." River agreed.

The both of them eventually set about laying the blanket on the thick, green grass and opened up the basket. It was filled with all sorts of foods. Cheese, fruit, bread, meat, a few sandwiches,… All the necessities.

"My, my." River said, mildly astonished. "You certainly know how to treat a lady to lunch."

The Doctor just grinned, slightly abashed.

They chatted as they ate, both of them teasing the other in their usual flirtatious manner, their troubles momentarily forgotten.

The sun dipped lower as the afternoon arrived. River began to doze off, the Doctor's chatter a soothing lull to her ears. It eventually ceased, but the silence was comfortable, the both of them content as the sunlight warmed their faces.

River finally fell asleep completely, her mind slipping into the unconscious as the Doctor stayed awake.

Their hands had eventually found each other again, their fingers intertwined as the Doctor watched her rest.

A gentle smile was on her face, and he wondered what she was dreaming about. He had known her for so long now, even though she it was only recently that she had begun to truly know and understand him.

It was nice, really. He would always feel his hearts skip a joyous beat when he told her something about himself that she didn't already know, and he was happy whenever a smile lit up her face as she learned another of his little quirks.

It was strange, though. Before he had truly met River for the first time, the ones he would meet would always be so incredibly knowledgeable about him, and it had used to frustrate him to no end when she refrained from telling him something about the future. Of course, there was love alongside the hate, but at the time he didn't realize it. Now he knew it had been there all along.

Not that he would tell her that, of course. Not yet anyway. Every time he tried to broach the subject of his feelings towards her, he ended up stammering and stumbling over his words, as if they were going too fast for his mouth. Not to mention that he'd be teased until the end of his days if she knew. And hopefully, that was a very, very long way away.

He became more pensive as his thoughts strayed to the Library, and River's death. Every time he thought about it, it felt like someone was twisting a knife into his heart. At the time, he hadn't known her, but this amazing, astonishing and absolutely frustrating woman had intrigued him, winding him up with that favorite word of hers, but also leaving an imprint on his heart when she died. He could still remember how upset she had been when she had realized that he didn't know her yet. He hadn't truly understood her pain until it had happened to him, when she met him for the first time. Even though he had known that River didn't know who he was, it still hurt him when she acted so aloof, and cruel.

But she had come through in the end.

The Doctor smiled softly at her. "My beautiful, amazing River Song." He said quietly, enjoying the way these words rolled of his tongue so naturally.

He brushed away a strand of her crazily curly hair that had fallen across her face with his free hand, and gently touched her cheek before withdrawing his hand.

She stirred, and he froze, wondering whether he had woken her, but she merely exhaled gently and rolled slightly so that her back was pressed against him. The Doctor blushed, even though she wasn't awake to see him.

He propped himself up on one elbow, her bushy hair tickling his face. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the distinctly Riverish scent that soothed him instantly.

"Something normal." He murmured to himself, smiling slightly. If this was normal, then he certainly liked it very much.

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**Please revieeeeeew, it would make me so happy!**


	6. Chapter 5 - Dance With Me

**Helloooooo! 'Nother chapter, a little shorter than the usual, but hopefully satisfactory. This is another TARDIS chapter, but the next one will have them on another foreign planet, promise! Enjoy!**

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The TARDIS was quiet, for once. River was by herself in the console room, while the Doctor 'rested'. Both his wife and his ship knew that meant he was in his study, preoccupied by some phenomena or other that occurred on a distant planet.

River didn't want to bother him, knowing that he got restless if he didn't exercise his brain every once in a while. The TARDIS did the same, her conscious keeping River company as she hummed softly.

River was scribbling in her diary, pausing every few moments to go over what she had written. She drawn in it too, beautifully illustrating the adventures she had shared with the Doctor with mere strokes with a pencil. She drew him the most. His face came to her easily; his sparkling grey-green eyes, his mouth always twitched upwards in a smile, his brown hair flopping over his forehead and his defined cheekbones that gave his face a certain elegance.

The Doctor himself had never seen her drawings. River kept them secret, not just because she wasn't allowed to show him according to his rules, but because she felt a strange feeling embarrassment come over her when she thought of it. It was absolutely ridiculous of course, but when it came to these things it made her feel like a schoolgirl with a crush.

She confided these feelings only to the TARDIS. The old girl, amused, knew that the Doctor would have been pleased if he ever discovered these studies River had made of him, but if River didn't want to reveal her talents to her husband just yet, then she wouldn't say anything, so to speak.

River had been completely absorbed by her work that she didn't even notice that the Doctor had arrived until he cleared his throat. Her head snapped up as she closed her diary to see him leaning against the railing on the far side of the TARDIS, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched her.

"Care to share?" He asked, a smile on his face.

"Now, now, sweetie." River said with an answering grin. "Your rules, remember?"

The Doctor let out a sigh. "Oh, why in the universe do I make those rules anyway?"

"To prevent all of time being rewritten, or a paradox happening?" River said sweetly.

"Oh. That explains it." The Doctor mumbled to himself before walking over and sitting down next to her.

"Have you finished your 'research'?" River said, an eyebrow raised.

"Yep. Easy peasy. Don't know why they call such things 'miracles', they're simple to figure out." The Doctor replied thoughtfully.

"Well, we can't all be time-travelling geniuses." River said playfully, nudging him with her shoulder.

"That's true. No one is superior to me." He said jokingly.

"Except your wife, of course." River said.

"Oh no," The Doctor exclaimed. "She's absolutely nothing like me. Far too dull and boring."

River elbowed him, laughing as he let out an indignant yelp.

"I was just kidding, you know…" He said sulkily.

"I know," River said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "After all, I am a far better dancer than you are."

"Oh, really?" The Doctor said slyly.

He stood up and offered River his hand.

"We'll see about that, my dear River Song." He said, grinning.

River rolled her eyes and got up as well.

"Sexy, would you be a dear and put on some music?" He said loudly to the TARDIS.

His ship let out a hum that translated to River as a chuckle, before playing 'Le Beau Danube Bleu'. The Doctor put on arm around River so that his hand was placed just below her shoulder blades and took her right hand with his left. River followed suit by placing her arm on his shoulder.

"And now, Mrs. Song." The Doctor said dramatically. "We dance."

River suppressed a laugh as they started to move in beat with the music. One, two, three, one, two, three…

"You're right, I guess it is Mrs. Song now." She remarked as they twirled around the console.

"Well, of course it is!" The Doctor said, affecting an offended air. "How else will people know you're married?"

"Hmm. That's true. By the way, your dancing is quite remarkable, my love." River said, surprised and amused at the realization.

"Told you." The Doctor said smugly.

River chuckled. They continued to dance around the TARDIS, both of them retaining their perfect positions as they whirled around and around. By the time the song ended, the both of them were out of breath but grinning like idiots.

The Doctor leaned in closer to River and whispered in her ear, "So, Professor Song… Have I impressed you yet?"

"Maybe…" River replied vaguely, fighting back a smile.

The Doctor pulled back, and she could see that his mouth was twitching upwards in a grin as well. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him affectionately.

"But, hypothetically, what would you do if I said you were an amazing dancer?" She asked.

"Now, that's for me to know and you to find out." The Doctor replied without missing a beat.

River rolled her eyes. "Oh, dear. I guess this means I must tell you that you were fantastic, otherwise I'll never know what I missed out on?"

"Yep…" The Doctor said mischievously.

His wife sighed. "Fine, you know I hate it when you do these things. Sweetie, you danced amazingly, and I take back what I said about me being the better dancer… Satisfied?"

"Very." The Doctor said before bringing her closer.

River cocked an eyebrow. "You're being forward, for once."

"What do you mean, for once?" The Doctor teased.

"Well, if I recall correctly, it's always me who makes the first move." She replied.

"Then we'll just have to change that, won't we?" He said, grinning, before lifting her chin and kissing her gently.

River was feeling rather impressed. The Doctor had always been… Shy when it came to showing his feelings. It was true that he had become more open with all the time he was spending with her, but this was certainly one of the biggest steps he'd made yet.

Not that she minded, of course. She was actually rather enjoying it. Alright, she was really, _really _enjoying it.

"So, Professor Song," The Doctor said, sounding slightly breathless after he pulled back. "Care for one more dance?"

River smiled at him, amused and affectionate as she observed her husband. "How in the universe could I say no?"

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**Reviews make me happy, don't forget! Like, very, very ,very happy XD. Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	7. Chapter 6 - Misty Moments

**Short, but sweet if I do say so myself. Hope you guys enjoy! However, the flow of the story still kind of bothers me...**

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"River, this is _not_ funny!" The Doctor shouted furiously.

"Oh, but my love, it_ is_." River said, trying to hold back her laughter.

The Doctor was stuck up to his knees in mud, not to mention the splatters of swampy water the covered his tweed jacket and shirt thanks to his struggles. River was standing on the edges of the mud hole the Doctor had fallen into, a grin on her face. Admittedly, it wasn't often that her husband ended up in a situation quite like this.

"Can you please help me out?" He pleaded, his arms outstretched as he wobbled unsteadily.

"Alright, alright. I've let you suffer enough." River sighed, walking forward until she was at the very edge of the mud pit.

She leaned out, her hand outstretched for the Doctor to grab on. He did, his skin warm against hers.

"Alright, on three, I'm going to pull." River instructed. "It'll be tough for you because you'll have to keep your balance, but hopefully the momentum will have you land on solid earth instead of more mud."

Her mouth twitched upwards in a smile, making the Doctor huff in annoyance because he knew how much she was enjoying this.

"One… Two… _Three_!" River pulled with all her might.

There was a squelching sound as the mud the Doctor was trapped in refused to give, and then he felt like he was falling. There was a loud 'oof' as the Doctor finally made contact with the ground. But the ground wasn't usually this warm and comfy… The Doctor flushed hard, and immediately rolled of River, who he had landed on.

"I-I'm sorry!" He said, his voice unusually high-pitched.

River smirked teasingly. "Oh, I don't mind."

The Doctor turned even redder and stood up. River followed suit, brushing the dirt off her pants and tossed her curly hair over her shoulder.

"We should get back to the TARDIS to get you cleaned up." She remarked, a grin still on her face.

The Doctor glanced down at himself. She was right, he was absolutely drenched with mud.

"Let's go then…" He sighed. "But we are _never _coming back here again!" The last part was an exclamation.

River laughed aloud. "May I remind you that it was your idea to bring us to Alzarius for the mist fall."

"Yes, but you know that I was around two years off…" He said, embarrassed.

"So I suggested that we go back to the TARDIS and find somewhere else." River finished. "And you didn't listen, sweetie. See? Karma."

She walked over to him and pressed a kiss to his jaw.

Despite himself, the Doctor smiled and tapped her on the nose. "Alright, then. Let's go home."

"Home…" River mused, her hand grasping his.

The Doctor flinched inwardly, because he could hear the twinge of sadness in her voice.

"Is it soon?" He asked, his voice wavering slightly.

They both knew what he was talking about. It hung between, the second half unspoken.

_Is it soon until you leave me?_

"No." River murmured. "No, my love, not for a while."

The Doctor sighed, the relief audible in his voice as the tension in his body left. River caressed his face with her free hand and kissed him gently. He returned the favor, his hand reaching up to tangle in her curly hair. There was nothing passionate about their kiss. It was merely sweet, and full of love with an underlying sadness that the both of them could not bear to face for the moment.

"We should get back to the TARDIS." The Doctor whispered once he pulled away.

River only nodded, her hand gripping his as they turned and walked towards the blue box half-hidden by the trees.

They were silent once they entered. The Doctor sent them into the time vortex, knowing that broaching the subject of their next planet would need to wait a while.

"You should get some rest." He told River, his voice gentle.

"You need it too." River pointed out, noticing how haggard he looked.

"I'm fine." He protested.

"No, you're not. The TARDIS'll be fine without you for a couple of hours. Come with me." She grabbed his hand again and gently pulled him up the stairs and through the hallways of the TARDIS.

The Doctor didn't protest, and followed her closely. She led him to her room and sat on the bed, her fingers weaving through his. He sat next to her, thumb caressing her knuckles gently as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

They were silent, unmoving for a while, just sitting there. Several times River's eyes flickered shut, and she finally moved away with the Doctor with a sigh before lying down on the bed. The Doctor did the same, unprotesting when River wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled into his chest. He smiled and kissed the top of her head gently.

"Sleep." He told her softly. "I'm right here."

"I know, my love." River sighed, her voice slurring. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

She fell asleep quickly in the Doctor's arms, leaving him to muse sadly. How many more times would they have moments like this? How soon until she left?

What if something happened to her?

His arms tightened around her reflexively, protectively. The Doctor wasn't sure whether River would be safer with or without him… But his selfish hearts kept telling him that it was beside him that she belonged, where she would be protected.

It was at times like this that it felt like mist had descended upon him, keeping him from seeing the path ahead, even though he knew where it led.

"Don't leave me." He whispered brokenly, barely realizing that he had said it aloud.

Another question lingered at the back of his mind, not unnoticed but ignored. He knew if he asked it to himself, he wouldn't be able to answer it.

_How would he be able to let her go?_

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